Department of Theology. Module Descriptions 2018/19

Transcription

1 Department of Theology Module Descriptions 2018/19 Level I (i.e. 2 nd Yr.) Modules Please be aware that all modules are subject to availability. If you have any questions about the modules, please contact calincomingexchangemodules@contacts.bham.ac.uk. For many of these modules, some experience of studying Theology may be required, and you should remember this when choosing your modules. If there is another module that you need to have studied before taking this, it will be stated in the module description. Please note that at the time this document has been prepared (March 2018) the following information is provisional, and there may be minor changes between now and the beginning of 2018/19 academic year.

2 Auschwitz in History and Memory (prerequisite: LC Introduction to the Study of the Holocaust or equivalent) MODULE CODE CREDIT VALUE word essay (50%), to be submitted in Summer, week 1 90 minute examination (50%) in the summer exam period Lecture + seminar times TBA This is an interdisciplinary module. Topics covered relating to Auschwitz in history include the evolution and multi-functionality of the site; the experience of non-jews; gendered experiences; the nature of survival and of resistance in KL Auschwitz; the Sonderkommando; perpetrators and perpetrator texts. Topics covered relating to Auschwitz in memory will focus on the cultural and symbolic afterlife of the site and include visual representations of Auschwitz (art, photographs, film); memorialization of the site; the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim with particular reference to its evolution over time, and to permanent and national exhibitions there; Auschwitz as a site of mass/dark tourism, and as a site of pilgrimage and (contested) sacred space.

3 Islam and the West (prerequisite: LC Introduction to Islam) MODULE CODE word essay, to be submitted in Summer, week 2 time TBA The module explores the background and current interactions between Muslims and the Western world. It explores definitions of the terms Islam and the West, and provides an overview of the historical contacts between the Muslim world and the West, assessing their contemporary relationship. The images of Islam and Muslims in the Western context will also be discussed. The module will focus on the impact of 9/11 and the subsequent war on terror and their implications for the relationship between the two cultural and religious contexts. The module will in particular explore contemporary developments in the Muslim world and their impact on future international relations, such as the rise of radical Islamist groups.

4 Religion and the Arts MODULE CODE word essay OR artwork with attached critical commentary of 750 words, to be submitted in Summer, week 1 time TBA This module will assess the importance and significance of art in its many different forms as a tool for the communication, interpretation and critique of religious and theological ideas and ideologies. It will focus on a range of artefacts, including works of fine art, stained glass, sculpture, literature, film and music, and upon buildings and architectural features, offering an introduction to the development of religious art and seeking to read a range of works from the perspectives of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Students will learn how to read and appreciate such artefacts as theological resources as well as cultural ones, and reflect upon issues such as what it is that makes art religious and how cultural outputs and artefacts can have spiritual impact.

5 Sufism: Belief and Practice MODULE CODE One essay of 2,500 words, to be submitted in Summer, week 3 time TBA This module aims to examine the beliefs and practices of Sufi movements and tariqas. It will examine the historical context and development of Sufism as a unique esoteric and devotional movement within Islam, focusing particularly on institutional Sufism. It will examine the metaphysical teachings of the tradition, including metaphysical psychology, as they pertain to and inform the varieties of Sufi practical methodologies in the quest for authentic selfhood and a direct experience of the Divine. The relationship of Sufi teacher to initiates will be studied in this process together with how this relates to the social structure and authority of tariqas and their place in wider society. The differing esoteric perspectives and spiritual practices of a range of tariqas will be examined, within their specific geographical and historical perspectives, including both mainstream and heterodox orders, providing students with an understanding of the variety of traditions and teachings. The impact of Sufism on popular culture within Muslim contexts will also be studied. The module will provide students with the necessary knowledge and understanding to have a firm grounding in studying Sufism in the contemporary context.

6 Buddhism MODULE CODE word essay TBC This module will provide an overview of the Buddhist tradition, covering historical backgrounds and subsequent development; key concepts and teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, concepts of no-self, emptiness, rebirth and enlightenment; the diversity of traditions; and practice. Contemporary movements and issues will be explored, and there will be an opportunity to engage with Buddhist communities in the West Midlands. It offers an introduction to Buddhist ideas and culture, assuming no prior knowledge.

7 Christian Ethics MODULE CODE CREDIT VALUE 20 1 x handout for seminar presentation of 1,500 words (40%), to be submitted in Semester 1, Week 10 2,000 word essay (60%), to be submitted in Spring, week 2 TBC This module will introduce you to the nature, methods, insights, and contested dynamics of contemporary theological ethics. For example, is there anything distinctive about theological, as opposed to other kinds of ethics? What are some of the norms and principles that might inform such ethics? Why do members of the same faith communities, using the same sources seem to come to very different conclusions about ethical issues? How does theological ethical thinking and practice relate to other kinds of moral reasoning and practice in the contemporary world? After looking at some main theories and methods in ethical thinking you will apply your theoretical knowledge by evaluating and analysing the place of theological ethical approaches and insights in relation to a variety of social and personal issues in contemporary Western society. This module will help you to think and argue better, and improve your analytical skills. It will require you to contribute fully to complex discussions of issues - helping you to speak more confidently and cogently. Your most treasured assumptions, norms and values may be called into question as you engage with some of the most contentious and interesting issues of our time. Ethics is about dynamic discussion, disagreement and argument about the nature of reality and of God and moral norms. This means that this module will involve your full participation, both orally and in writing. You may not be a morally better person when you have finished it, but you should be more aware of the complexity of contemporary ethical debates and assumptions, and you should be better able to hold your own in a complex and sensitive ethically-related discussion.